Prebend Pre-school

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happy and settle quickly due to the very caring and welcoming nature of staff.

They show through their behaviour that they feel safe and secure in the pre-school. Children happily follow daily routines and staff's requests, and they are kind and confident in their interactions with their peers and adults. Staff are positive role models and they have high expectations of children.

They help to build children's confidence and self-esteem through praise and encouragement.Staff work with parents to identify children's unique needs and provide resources and ideas for additional support at home. Tailor-made '...snuggle bags' include children's storybooks, ideas for activities and additional information for parents.

This helps the progress children make, for example with toilet-training, bedtime routines and eating healthily. Overall, staff have high expectations of children's learning. They know children well and plan a broad and exciting range of experiences, particularly linked to children's love of the outdoors.

Children develop their interests as they explore and play together in the setting's woodland hideout. They develop their imaginations as they paint pictures using mud and pretend to prepare dinner in the mud kitchen.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

New children are supported to settle in swiftly.

Managers work very well with staff and parents. They tailor visits according to children's individual needs. Parents are invited into the setting for an initial induction visit before their child starts at the setting.

This helps staff to create positive and trusting relationships from the start.Staff are particularly skilled at using songs to support children's communication, language and understanding of letters and rhythm. They enthuse children as they use varying tones of voice to sing.

Children of all ages listen carefully and join in excitedly with a variety of familiar songs, remembering the words and actions well.Staff encourage children to develop a real interest in books. Younger children select books independently, turn the pages and point at the pictures.

Staff engage children well as they animatedly read familiar stories. All children are able to access their favourite books from the pre-school library and take these home to share with parents.Staff consistently engage children in a range of activities.

They join in with children's play and comment on what they do. However, on occasions, not enough thought is given to further extending some activities so more-able children are consistently challenged to the highest level.Staff respond enthusiastically to children's interests and use them to develop their experiences.

For example, children enjoy hunting for pine cones and different leaves while out on a nature walk. They relish opportunities to play and explore in the purpose-built woodland area. Here, children learn about the life cycle of butterflies and tadpoles.

They help to plant trees and flowers, and develop new skills as they use handsaws and construct with wood.Good overall arrangements are in place to observe where children are in their development. Staff use information gathered to identify children's next steps in learning.

However, the assessments staff complete of the progress children make are not always used to precisely plan activities to support children in making more rapid progress.The managers and staff evaluate practice effectively. They complete observations of one another's practice and hold discussions to reflect on children's learning.

However, managers do not place enough focus on staff's professional development to help them develop further skills to fully enhance children's emerging vocabulary.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand how to protect children from harm.

They have a good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and wider child protection issues. Staff know to report any concerns to a manager immediately, including those about a colleague. The management team ensures that staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures are constantly refreshed.

Managers attend professional conferences and meetings and work closely with other professionals to help minimise risks to children. Policies and procedures are robust and regularly reviewed.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance and extend activities to provide more-able children with additional challenge, to extend their learning to achieve as much as they can continue to refine assessment systems and support staff in precisely planning what children need to learn next, to help them make even greater progress strengthen staff's professional development to help them refine skills so children's emerging vocabulary is raised to the highest level.